


Curled Up In Your Skin

by xphil98197



Category: 00Q - Fandom, James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, M/M, james bond retires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-15 03:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9217052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xphil98197/pseuds/xphil98197
Summary: James and Q add a new member to their family after James retires.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Only_1_Truth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Only_1_Truth/gifts).



> This is dedicated to my fantastic artist, Only_1_Truth, who I was lucky enough to work with for a second year in a row. Thank you so much to ChestnutNOLA for coordinating this year's RBB. And a huge thank you to all the fellow 00Q group members, you all rock!
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/247325658758760/

_I don’t know… I don’t know how this begins. I suppose I should say that it all began with an exchange of smart ass remarks in the National Gallery. Although by then, 007 was already legendary. He’s larger than life, at the minimum. But for me, he’s the dream I’ve been chasing after._

 

_I’ve always has a weakness for blond hair and blue eyes; me, with the brown hair, coke bottle glasses, and green eyes and spots, anorak big enough for two of me._

 

_But I suppose that’s also where it ends, because that’s also where we lay the stereotypes to rest: the ones about seductive spies, and the ones about geeky quartermasters. Because my husband and I… we’re nothing like you’ve heard._

 

_You’ve heard of the Winthrop-Kaurs, I’m sure? The right hand of the PM, go to tea with the Queen, invaluable to the Crown, blah blah blah. That would be my parents, Isolde Winthrop from the Shropshire Winthrops, and Reginald Kaur. And I’m Edmund, the youngest. Mother’s family distinguished themselves in government after the second world war. Father fell in love with her in primary school, and studied languages, so he could join the diplomatic corps and be worthy of wooing her._

 

_There’s already a doctor and a barrister in the family, and I always had a knack for language, so everyone assumed I’d follow Da in my career. I was studying biotech in uni, but then i showed my homebuilt computer to a friend in the dorms, and he introduced me to his boss._

 

_“You can call me M,” the woman only came to my shoulder. I’d seen her at diplomatic mixers, someone in the hierarchy at MI6. “I’m interested in your skill with technology, and hacking. I believe that’s where the future will be, regardless of the fact that the men around here are too blind to pay attention.”_

 

_And that was where I met James, the bane of tech everywhere._

 

“Wait, that’s not bloody fair, Q.”

 

_And there’s the wanker now…_

 

***

 

**I can’t let him tell the whole story, he’s rather biased.**

 

**Edmund likes to tell everyone that I can’t wield a screwdriver unless its to destroy something, or set off a bomb. That would be Alec, not me.**

 

**My parents died when I was young, and I grew up with Kincade, the gamekeeper, and his wife. Skyfall is a large estate, and I enjoyed getting my hands dirty, working on the tractor, and the old farm pickup. I’ve even repared a boiler or two in my time.**

 

**After I got thrown out of Eton, Kincade suggested the Navy. I was on a self destructive streak, and it wasn’t a bad choice, what with no idea what I wanted to do or be. All I knew was that I wanted to see the world outside Skyfall. My shooting scores were high, best they’d seen in years. So that was how I found myself, wheedling a favor to finish university while I was in the Navy. I studied Engineering, always had to have the latest gadget so I could get my hands on the innards, and take it apart.**

 

**When Edmund took over as head of Q Branch, well I already had something of a reputation for not bringing back tech. But things get broken in the field, and sometimes I have to see how something works… and then I can’t put it back together.**

 

**He did say to come back in one piece, and sometimes that’s at the price of the tech.**

 

***

 

London is home, always has been. Edmund can’t remember a time when he didn’t wake up to the sound of traffic, and the news on the telly. And Scotland is… quiet. One can hear birds, leaves falling. Some days Edmund swears he can hear the sun shining, or the clouds moving.

 

But when James turned 45, well that was the mandatory retirement age for a 00 agent. And he’d been talking about doing something with that property he’d re-bought for ages. So when Kincaid said that he had a grandson studying architecture, and what about a nice home, rather than rebuilding that cold manor, James had been enchanted.

 

One cat, two cats, a hunting dog that walked the moors with James… but the house still echoed, wasn’t quite a home.

 

“Do you ever think about children?” Q asked suddenly, putting down his cup of tea. He was curled up in his arm chair with an afghan on his lap, a book open in front of him on nanotechnology and cancer research.

 

“I’m sorry, what?” James hit his head on the mantle where he was adding wood to the fire.

 

“Children, James, you aren’t deaf yet,” he took off his glasses and polished them with the sleeve of his cardigan.

 

“Christ, Edmund, you can’t just drop that on a man,” James sputtered.

 

“You’re nearing fifty, and dated women for most of your life. I’m quite sure you’ve heard the word,” Edmund laughed, eyes sparkling.

 

“Yeah… I-” James turned away and sighed, wiping his hands on his pants. “I thought about kids, once. Vesper was pregnant. But I’m not sure if it was mine, after what I found out.”

 

“I’m so sorry,” Edmund covered his mouth with a hand, eyes wide. He went and laid his head on James’s chest.

 

“It wasn’t you, it was long before you,” James put his arm around his lover and buried his memories in the earl grey scent that even came out of his hair. “Maybe… we could talk about it? I’m not sure where you even start the process, honestly.”

 

“Neither am I,” Edmund frowned and reached for his tablet.

 

***

 

 **And that started it all. Edmund was better at paperwork, but he still worked remotely, so I took over. I enlisted Eve’s help, because she’s still M’s right hand. And if she doesn’t know, the woman can find out** **_anything._ **

 

“James, are you bloody serious?” Eve grabbed his arm. “It's not like adopting a dog. It becomes a person.”

 

“Thank you Eve, I believe they managed to impart that much to me at Eton,” James gave her a wry laugh. “But… I told Q I’d think about it. And I did. And now… I want it.”

 

“That’s a really adult decision,” Alec said from the doorway, running a hand over the stubble on his chin. “I’m a bit worried someone stole James and returned an alien in his place. We’re back from lunch, James. He’s looking for you.” Alec occupied their old apartment back in the city, and James and Q stayed there overnight when Q had to attend meetings in person at Six.

 

“You knew about this?” Eve whirled on him.

 

“Well yeah, James got drunk after they talked the first time, and called me,” Alec nodded.

 

“And a hangover at forty nine is NOT as easy as it is at twenty nine,” James shook his head ruefully.

 

“Which is why I didn’t let the two of you go have a liquid vodka lunch,” Q retorted from the doorway, dressed in a lab coat. “Hi love,” he kissed James’s cheek. “I finally convinced them that smart blood was a good idea for all the agents.”

 

“I’m so glad I’m not on active duty anymore,” Alec shook his head. “I don’t want them to know when I pull at a club, thanks.”

 

“Oy, watch it, there’s going to be a child around soon enough,” James looked horrified. “Bloody hell, we need a swear jar.”

 

“You might as well fund an orphanage,” Eve said sagely. “That’s a hopeless cause if I ever heard one.”

 

“Do I want to know why you are funding an orphanage, or should I take away your paycheck for damage control as a preemptive strike?” Mallory asked from his office doorway. “On second thought, no, don’t tell me. Plausible deniability.”

 

“Don’t you want to get married first anyway?” Alec asked. “I mean really… isn’t that the first step? James and Q, sitting in a tree…”

 

“God Alec, enough,” Edmund rolled his eyes. Why on earth would James and I have a wedding? Don’t be sil-” he froze as he saw the expression on his lover’s face. “How James and I choose to commit to each other is between the two of us, and we will discuss it like adults,” he amended.

 

“Yes, let’s go,” James agreed, following him down the hall.

 

“I’m sorry,” Edmund stopped to wait for the elevator. “I didn’t know a wedding was something you wanted.”

 

“I didn’t either, until you said of course not,” James said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

 

“D’you want the whole tradition, morning suits and a wedding breakfast?” Edmund asked softly. “I’m sure we could get my mum to lend us the atrium, and she’d be thrilled. She’s long since given up on any of us marrying.”

 

“No!” James looked horrified. “I mean, certainly, she should be there. But something small, just go to the courthouse and sign papers, and a lunch with your family maybe? I don’t… I suppose I never really thought about it,” he admitted. “What do you want?”

 

“I’ll be happy with whatever you choose, as long as it doesn’t involve me in a church or in a dress,” Edmund said thoughtfully. “How about something that fits us a bit better? We did talk about a housewarming party.”

 

“How many people will come all the way here though?” James asked.

 

“A few, Eve, Alec, my parents,” Edmund shrugged. “I’m not talking about inviting all of Six, James. It’s just for us, and our closest friends.”

 

**So we set a date. Fall, a few months away. Eve was invaluable, and taught me the trick of shopping on the internet, so we had everything delivered for the big day.**

 

_James is always in a strop about my clothes, so I went and spent a weekend with Eve to get fitted for a suit. Between projects and work back at Six, I managed to keep it a secret until the big day._

 

***

 

“Are you sure James didn’t see it?” Eve asked doubtfully.

 

“Of course not, I put it in the laundry room, he wouldn’t set foot in there if I offered him a hand grenade for his trouble,” Edmund laughed, straightening the green bowtie that offset his eyes. The traditional black tuxedo jacket had green lapels that matched his bowtie and cufflinks, and fit him like a second skin.

 

“Are you ready for this?” Eve asked. “He looks, really good. And nervous. He really does care about you.”

 

“As I’ll ever be,” Edmund gave his hair another hopeless swipe and grinned. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

 

James turned as they walked into the dining hall, and his mouth opened.

 

“See, he’s in love with you,” Eve whispered as she walked Edmund towards him. “He just doesn’t have words for it.”

 

**The minister said the usual words, I don’t think I heard a word until Edmund turned to look at me, and suddenly everything was quiet. He was so lovely, standing there like I was everything he’d ever dreamed about. It gave me hope. And suddenly I knew exactly what the vows needed to include.**

 

“I thought… I thought I had my life all figured out,” James whispered. “I was going to be a weapon, and someday I’d die in the line of duty, and no one would miss me. And then I saw you, and you… you let me heal, let me remember who I was. I didn’t ever feel safe until I was curled up in your skin, waking up in your arms. I love you, Edmund. I do.”

 

**And then Edmund said all those nice fancy things, formal vows like you read in poetry, and I couldn’t hear anything besides the blood pounding in my ears. And then he leaned in to kiss me, and…**

 

_You would have thought he was bloody stoned, or drunk, rambling like that in front of people… James has never thought anything out in advance. It might have gone a bit easier on him if he wasn’t trying to pull it out of his arse._

 

**I love you too dear.**

 

*******

 

“What if we do it wrong?” James sat up in bed and turned on the light. “I mean, what if we break her? Babies break, don’t they?”

 

“James?” Edmund fumbled for his glasses, and looked at the clock. “4:36 am. What’s wrong, did you have a bad dream?”

 

“What if we can’t do this?” James asked. “What if she gets sick, or we lose her, or-”

 

“Are you having second thoughts?” Edmund asked with a smile.

 

“No! Of course not. I want her! I want her today! But what if we aren’t good enough for her?” James bit his thumb nail.

 

“She’s a baby, James,” Edmund said gently, pulling his husband into his arms. The waves were breaking as the tide came in, breaking on the beach of Mykonos. “But she hasn’t even been born yet. We have the whole rest of our honeymoon, and then a couple of months besides.”

 

**It's hard, deciding to adopt a baby who hasn’t been born yet. There’s already the last minute option that the mother will change their mind, and decide that they want to keep the child.**

 

“What if Sarah changes her mind?” James asked quietly. “It will break my heart, Edmund,” he sighed into his husband’s inky curls.

 

“If she does, it wasn’t meant to be,” Edmund tried to stay positive for him, not admit that he’d been having the same thoughts.

 

“I think it must be easier being straight,” James admitted softly. “No wondering whether or not you’re good enough, or if they’ll decide you aren’t worthy. Just too much wine, oops, forgot a condom, and presto, a magic baby.”

 

“You know it isn’t that simple, James,” Edmund chided. “But it does seem that way, doesn’t it? I know so many families who wanted children so badly, and fate didn’t allow for it. But then there’s people who keep popping them out, whether they care or not.”

 

“And you know we aren’t going to change the way careless people think,” Edmund reminded. “We just do the best we can, and make a difference with Ailsa. Little by little we change lives just by being an example of what we want to see.”

 

“Now you’re making us sound altruistic, and noble,” James frowned. “I think we’re just selfish, asking some poor child to go to school with two fathers, knowing they’ll be teased for it.”

 

“James, love…” Edmund shook his head. “You face down nuclear war and stay calm. Are you really getting cold feet over a baby?”

 

“No, not cold feet,” James shivered. “I just feel like I’m going to do it all wrong.”

 

“There’s no right way to be a parent,” Edmund said gently. “Would you say that your parents did it wrong, dying trying to save you? I’d say mine did a good job, always encouraging me, but I also don’t think I’d force a child who was electronically inclined to play a musical instrument and play sports. There’s always something that can be done differently, and done a different way. We do the best that we can, and teach her that there’s nothing she can’t do if she works at it.”

 

“But what… what about boys?” James asked, miserably. “Imagine her meeting someone who was like me as a teenager… I wouldn’t know… if I should go for my gun or the police first.”

 

“James…” Edmund stifled a laugh. “The answer is neither. What we do is we raise Ailsa to know what she wants, how to protect herself, and defend herself. There’s no perfect formula against a broken heart love. I’ve had a few myself. Her first will probably be from someone who has no idea she exists, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent that. You just have to let her live her life.”

 

“But… she’s going to cry, and be hurt,” James gave him an incredulous look. “So you’re saying that we just have to watch?”

 

“I’m saying we’re going to raise our daughter to be the kind of woman who isn’t scared of walking down the street, and who can heal after life throws its worst at her,” Edmund tucked an arm around him. “Are you telling me that you would trade your life now for never having had a broken heart or made a bad choice? Our lives make us who we are, James.”

 

“I know,” James sighed. “I just wish I could save her from all that.”

 

“And that’s why you’ll be a great father,” Edmund kissed his forehead. “Because you care enough to let her be herself.”

 

“You’re more sure of that than I am,” James said doubtfully.

 

“I promise you will,” Edmund smiled. “Just like I promise if you wake me up at dawn to surf after keeping me up all night, I’ll arm you with rubber bands and pushpins from now on.”

 

***

**The truth is, both of us were scared shitless.**

 

_That’s another dollar pound for the swear jar, love. At this rate, you’ll pay for her to go to university before we get to the part where she’s born._

 

“A fucking snow storm?” James wrapped a scarf around Edmund. “What are the bloody odds? Its Edinburgh."

 

“The Scottish have 421 words for snow, why are you so surprised?” Edmund raised his eyebrows and tried to stifle a laugh. “It snows every winter, and somehow you take this completely personally.”

 

“It's almost three hours in good weather, what if she’s already been born when we get to the hospital?” James fretted.

 

“They aren’t going to let us in the delivery room anyway, James. Take a deep breath, and I’ll bring the car around.”

 

“You’re going to drive?” James yelped.

 

“James… you buttoned your shirt wrong,” Edmund laughed. “I’m not letting you near the DB9. I’m driving the Land Rover, and you can sit there and fret with your phone while you tell me how it's all ruined, and play your ipod. Frankly, you’re even starting to wear on my nerves.”

 

“Fine,” James stormed out the door and Edmund tried not to laugh.

 

The ride into Edinburgh was long enough for Edmund to take over the stereo to keep James from figiting, and threaten to make him walk.

 

“For the last time, James Andrew Bond, I am about to beat you black and blue,” Edmund sighed. “We are already on the outskirts of the city, there is no reason for you to touch the ipod. Two more songs at the most, and we’ll be there.”

 

“Fine, but I’ll sing along,” James warned, opening his mouth.

 

Edmund retaliated by turning off the stereo and smacking James. “Act your age, I want us to get there safe, not miss meeting her because you’re an idiot.”

 

“I’m just… trying to survive sitting here doing nothing,” James said quietly. “It was all going so fast, and now that she’s here… it too good to be true.”

 

**Edmund has a way to making me behave, whether it was in the field, or at home. Let me just say, nothing is a nerve wracking as knowing that the fate of the rest of your life is hanging in the balance and NOTHING you can do will help.**

 

_I understand, trust me. We’d already paid for everything, given Sarah a place to live, and a check regardless of whether the baby was healthy or not. But the idea that she could change her mind at the last minute was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever contemplated. At least when James went out on a mission, his actions had some effect on the outcome. Here, we were completely powerless._

 

“Okay, I’m going to park the car, and we’re going to be calm,” Edmund took a deep breath and turned off the car.

 

“You sound ready to hyperventilate,”  James said softly, fiddling with the seat belt buckle. “I know, I feel like that too. It's the possibility of our dreams coming true, or the world crashing before our eyes.”

 

“What if she changes her mind?” Edmund asked, plaintively. “Should we just give up, and go back to our lives?”

 

“We are not going to think like that,” James took his hands. “We are going to go in there and meet our little girl, and that’s all there is to it.”

 

“I’m glad you’re so certain,” Edmund said quietly. “I’m terrified.”

 

“I’m not certain, I’m scared shitless,” James admitted. “But no use worrying before we know. She hasn’t even had the baby yet, Edmund, or else Doctor Davids would have called us.”

 

“Alright,” Edmund took a deep breath. “Let’s hurry up and go wait.”

 

“I’ll be there,” James squeezed his fingers.

 

**Have you ever noticed how time in a hospital doesn’t go the same speed as everywhere else? If you’re waiting for something anywhere else, it takes awhile. A watched pot never boils and all that. But time in a hospital passes like glaciers melting, before global warming. It's so slow it feels like time is going in reverse.**

 

_James Bond, king of hyperbole… But he really isn’t exaggerating. I’m pretty sure those two hours pacing in the hospital waiting room were like waiting for the fallout from Hiroshima. It's like… waiting to find out if you hit the lottery._

 

“James and Edmund Bond?” A petite woman in white scrubs and glasses came out the door. “I’m Helen McAllister, the social worker on duty today. Would you like to meet your daughter?”

 

“What?” James whirled around. “What did you say?”

 

“Come on, let’s go see her,” Edmund grinned, eyes wide. “Will we be able to hold her?”

 

“I would imagine that’s part of the agreement, yes,” Helen smiled. “Your first, then?”

 

“Yes… yes,” James hung on to Edmund as they followed her down the hallway.

 

“She’s already had a bath, would you like to try feeding her?” Helen asked. “I know you took the parenting classes, so you know how to hold her. Just remember to support her head, and burp her after. I know everything you know will go out the window when you see her.”

 

“Head, support her head,” Edmund nodded. “Burp her… James, we’re going to fail at this!”

 

“That’s precisely why you’ll do a great job,” Helen smiled. “It's the parents that think they know everything, and have never seen a nappy that I worry about. Now,” she opened the door to a room where a nurse was holding a bundle of blankets. “Come meet Ailsa. Sarah didn’t want to get in the way of you two bonding with her, thought it would be easier this way if Ailsa came directly to you two after the doctors examined her.”

 

**She might as well have been speaking Swahili. I didn’t hear a word, all I saw was this little pink fist, and the world stopped turning. Do you know babies are born with five fingers on each hand?**

 

_Ah yes, that’s my 00 husband, king of stating the obvious._

 

**You told me she had a nose, Edmund. I wouldn’t be pointing fingers.**

 

“Do you want to hold your daughter?” the nurse asked.

 

“We haven’t signed the papers yet, are you sure we can still hold her?” James fretted, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.

 

“Sit down,” the nurse smiled. “She’s been waiting to meet you.”

 

James squeezed Edmund’s hand, and together they reached for her. Edmund arranged the blanket on James’s shoulder and handed him the bottle.

 

“Look at that face,” James grinned, delighted, as Ailsa mouthed at the bottle nipple, and then reached for it with her tiny pink lips pursed. “And look at those dimples… I think she takes after you, Edmund.”

 

“Don’t be silly, she has your eyes,” Edmund’s eyes were wet as he touched her nose.

 

Ailsa managed a couple of ounces, and fell asleep, a drop of milk still wet on her chin. James burped her gently and wrapped her in the blanket, staring down at her in his arms in awe.

 

“Do we have to put her down?” he asked the nurse softly. “I don’t want her to miss sleep. Being born must be awfully hard work.”

 

“No, dear. You can hold her as long as you like,” she smiled. “I know you’ve been waiting for a long time. Enjoy her. I’ll give you some privacy to bond, hmm?” She dimmed the lights and left the room, leaving them to curl up on the sofa with Ailsa. The bundle of blankets rustled as she yawned, and she reached out for James’s finger, sucking on it as she napped.

 

“I spoke with the barrister, we can finish with the papers before we head home,” James said quietly, tracing Ailsa’s hair with his finger. “We can be home for supper tomorrow night.”

 

“Don’t you want to wait, stick around in town a few days?” Edmund asked.

 

“No, actually,” James shook his head. “I’ve spent enough of my life in hotels in cities where I don’t live, eating room service meals and sleeping on questionable sheets. Let’s bring our little girl home.”

 

***

 

“Mr. and Mr. Bond?” the secretary behind the desk cleared her throat. “The barrister is ready for you now.”

 

A few signatures with an ink pen, and it was done.

 

Ailsa Fiona Bond was ready to come home to Skyfall.

 

***

 

“You were right,” James took Edmund’s hand and kissed it. Edmund was standing in front of Ailsa’s cradle, watching her sleep in the moonlight. “This is what we were missing. It was hard to imagine that the most satisfying part about being up at 2am was nappies, but it's far better than being out until the bars close, and chasing assassins.”

 

“I rather like the ring as well,” Edmund smiled, leaning in to brush a kiss across James’s lips. “And the new last name.”

 

“That too,” James agreed. “I think married life suits you. It makes you more… self assured? You seem more confident. You always were in Q Branch, and around tech. But sometimes I think you worry you don’t fit into Skyfall, and life in Scotland. The ring seems to have done wonders for that.”

 

“I like it,” Edmund gave him a measuring gaze. “You see more than I give you credit for, I think. Yes, I never expected myself to live the life of a country kept man, and I do think I’ll leave the deer hunting to you and Kincaide, and I’ll hide out in the kitchen.”

 

“You don’t like cooking either,” James reminded.

 

“Oy, I’ve gotten better,” Edmund laughed. “I haven’t set off the smoke alarms this week.”

 

“That’s only because you put in voice recognition software so you can disable them when you’re making toast,” James retorted.

 

“Fine, fine, I admit it,” Edmund smiled. “But it means you get to sleep in mornings, after you’ve been up getting 2am bottles and changing nappies.”

 

“Ah, so that’s why I never hear from you two until I wander down to the kitchen in the mornings,” James wrapped his arms around Edmund’s waist and kissed the warm, bare skin of his shoulder.

 

“We have to let you sleep sometime,” Edmund nuzzled back into him. “And she likes the sling while I’m puttering around doing things.”

 

“Is that why there was jam in her hair when I gave her a bedtime bath?” James pulled him back to bed.

 

“No comment? I thought I got it out,” Edmund chuckled. “I knew I missed some.”

 

“If you can be quiet, I can think of a few ways to make you sleepy until she wants her 6AM bottle,” James traced a finger under the waist of Edmund’s boxers.

 

“Oh really?” Edmund teased. “Are you sure you aren’t too tired, what with all the nappies I make you change?”

 

“But darling, you don’t want me to be bored and neglected, I might get into mischief,” James laughed. They tumbled into bed in a mess of limbs, and James bit at Edmund’s earlobe. “Shhh, you don’t want to wake her before I get you off.”

 

***

 

 _Ailsa was three kilos of energy, kicking her feet and staring. I thought she would be all wrinkly and crying, like most babies, but no. She’s always been absolutely beautiful._ _I know they say all babies have blue eyes at first, but I swear Ailsa had James’s eyes. She still does, in fact._

 

_She was smart in school, smart enough not to be the one to get caught when she orchestrated trouble.  In the university she went into computer technology, and now she’s one of the top researchers working on artificial intelligence and how it could help people who are missing limbs._

 

**They say that when your kids become teenagers, you get so frustrated that when they turn eighteen, you’re ready for them to leave.**

 

“I’m not ready,” James whispered as he fixed his bowtie in the mirror. “She can’t be getting married.”

 

“James, she’s twenty two,” Edmund smiled. “Come on now. You’ve run his background through the Six databases, he works at MI5 for christ’s sake. He is a secretary, nothing but a very boring government clearance worthy secretary. They don’t even let him near the coffee pot. Face it, she’s all grown up.”

 

“How are you okay with this?” James asked softly.

 

“I had more time to get used to it,” Edmund shook his head with a wry smile, and ran his fingers through James’s snow white hair. His own was streaked with grey, but the curls were still there, forever untameable. “She’s been dating Thomas since she was seventeen, James. How did you NOT see this coming?”

 

“We just brought her home from the hospital,” James said mournfully. “She was just having us kiss skinned knees, and begging for another bedtime story.”

 

“No, she was just getting in trouble for trying to play footie with the boys, and breaking her arm falling out of a tree,” Edmund said softly, putting his arms around James’s waist. “And learning to drive, and going off to Uni. Gods, we’ve turned into a pair of sentimental old fools.Would you have changed your mind, if you knew what this was going to be like, watching her grow up and giving her away?”

 

“No, not a second of it,” James looked at their reflections in the mirror. “But I might have wished for time to go slower.”

  
“Wouldn’t we all?” Edmund smiled. “Come on, let’s go give our little girl away.”


End file.
